Reviewers from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter described it as a "by-the-numbers" low-budget film with repetitive action and inane dialogue that "never gets out of neutral". Production Context
Scored a 29/100 , indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".
Watch the official trailer to see John Cusack and Thomas Jane in action: Drive Hard Official Trailer #1 (2014) HD FilmIsNow Movies YouTube• Feb 17, 2014 Drive Hard (2014) - IMDb Drive Hard (2014)
Despite its star power, it was a relatively low-budget production (estimated around $1.2 million), which some viewers on Reddit felt was used reasonably well for its scale.
A former hotshot race car driver (Thomas Jane), now living a quiet life as a driving school instructor, is abducted by a mysterious thief (John Cusack). Forced to be the wheelman for a $9-million heist, he finds himself on a high-speed run from both the police and the mob across Australia’s Gold Coast. Reviewers from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter described
The film received largely negative reviews from critics and is frequently cited on "worst of" lists for its year:
The film (2014) is an action-comedy directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, featuring John Cusack and Thomas Jane . Plot Overview A former hotshot race car driver (Thomas Jane),
Reported an 8% approval rating based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 3.5/10.